To celebrate World E-Waste Day held on the 14 October, Devon Contract Waste (DCW), supported the donation of 30 monitors and 15 keyboards from EDF, to Dartmoor Zoo, facilitated by their customer Dalkia.
The initiative began when Dalkia staff working at EDF’s Exeter office contacted DCW to explore opportunities to rehome surplus IT equipment. Drawing on its network of community contacts across Devon, DCW identified their customer, Dartmoor Zoo, as a suitable recipient and coordinated the collection and delivery.
Ellie Featherstone, Environmental & Sustainability Advisor at EDF said:
“We’re delighted that equipment no longer required by EDF has been given a second life supporting the important work carried out by Dartmoor Zoo. By working collaboratively with SUEZ and colleagues across Property Services, we’ve been able to reduce waste, support a conservation charity and create a positive environmental and social outcome.”
The donated items will be used by the zoo’s team to replace ageing technology, allowing more resources to be directed towards its core activities; animal welfare and conservation. The donation also extends the life of valuable electrical items that still have a useful purpose, helping to prevent unnecessary waste and maximise the value of existing items.
World E-Waste Day highlighted the importance of reducing, reusing, repairing and recycling electrical equipment to prevent valuable materials from being lost and to minimise environmental impact. By supporting IT reuse, organisations can help drive a more circular economy while delivering meaningful benefits to local communities.
Olivia Crisp, Partnership and Community Engagement Manager at SUEZ and DCW, said:
” This donation is a great example of how organisations can work together to keep valuable resources in use for longer. Electrical equipment often has plenty of life left in it, and by facilitating donations such as this we can help reduce waste while supporting organisations doing important work in our communities. We’re grateful to EDF for entrusting us to find a new home for the equipment and delighted that Dartmoor Zoo will be able to put it to good use.”
Stuart Franklin, Head of Estates and Maintenance at Dartmoor Zoo, said:
“As a charity, every pound we save can be reinvested into the zoo and the important conservation and education work we deliver. This donation will help us update the technology used by our team, and we’re extremely grateful to EDF and DCW for making it possible.”
